Puzzled
by Red Witch
Summary: Pietro's efforts to get the Brotherhood involved in more protests against humankind are thwarted when Fred and Todd decide to work on a jigsaw puzzle.


**I lost the disclaimer telling all of you that I don't own any X-Men Evolution characters. Just another fun little Brotherhood fic. I write a lot of these. **

**Puzzled**

"I call this meeting of the Brotherhood of Mutants to order!" Pietro hammered on the table with his gavel. "The Honorable Leader Quicksilver presiding." 

"Along with his enormous ego," Lance quipped. 

"Quiet you," Pietro glared at him. "Now to discuss the purpose of this meeting. Blob! Toad! Pay attention!"

"We are," Todd said. He was working on a puzzle at the end of the table with Fred. "Keep talking!" 

"Where did they get a puzzle?" Wanda asked.

"Where do those lunatics get anything?" Pietro replied. "Now what we have is a serious problem which we need to solve!"

"Which one?" Lance asked. "Our lack of leadership or our chances of rejoining Magneto dwindling even further?" 

"Ha ha," Pietro glared at him. "Very amusing." 

"I've got it!" Fred said happily.

"Got what?" Wanda asked.

"This gray blob here is supposed to be a kitten!" Fred pointed.

"Oh yeah," Todd nodded as he looked. "You're right." 

"Yup that's a kitten all right," Wanda said.

"That looks more like a dog to me," Lance said. 

"Really?" Todd looked at it again. "I don't see it."

"Lance that is definitely a kitten," Wanda said.

"Are you sure?" Lance asked.

"Well look at the eyes for starters!" Wanda pointed. "Do any dogs you know have eyes like that?"

"Where are the eyes?" Lance asked.

"Over here," Fred pointed.

"Oh yeah, you're right," Lance said. 

"You people are the biggest idiots I have ever met!" Pietro threw up his hands. "I'm trying to generate ideas here on how we can improve things and all you morons can think about is solving a stupid puzzle!"

"It's not a stupid puzzle!" Todd spoke. "It's one of those mystery puzzles that don't have no picture you can look at. You got to figure it all out in your head!" 

"Oh great," Lance drawled. "Well we all know what you two will be doing every night for the next decade!" 

"Look we need to find ways to beat the X-Men and get into Magneto's good graces!" Pietro said. "We need to have a battle plan!"

"We've never had one before," Todd said.

"And that's why we keep losing!" Pietro fumed. "Now tonight we need to strike a blow for Mutant Rights! We need to make a statement that Mutants will not be persecuted!"

"We need to find the kitten's nose," Fred said. "Toad can you see it?"

"I'm still looking for that part of the mirror yo," Todd said. 

"I think part of the plan should be getting some new recruits," Pietro groaned. 

"So what is our plan?" Lance asked.

"We don't have one! That's why I've called this meeting! Hel-lloo!" Pietro shouted, exasperated. "Come on Lance! Think of something!"

"What so you can take all the credit?" Lance snapped. "You're the leader, lead!" 

"He's got a point Pietro," Wanda said. "You're only doing this so you can impress Father which is pointless. We both know he loves me best."

"What?" Pietro snapped. "That's not true!" 

"Yes it is Pietro!" She said. 

"Oh yeah then why did he lock up…?" Pietro caught himself. 

"Lock up…what?" Wanda raised an eyebrow. 

"Lock up…?" Pietro quickly searched for an answer. "I meant…**look up**…yeah look up private all girls' schools to send you to? These morons over here got me all confused!" He pointed to Fred and Todd.

"I thought we were home schooled?" Wanda blinked.

"We were," Pietro said. "But…Father thought you might need more structure. Especially after you set fire to your desk." 

"Pietro that was you," Wanda told him.

"What?" Pietro snapped.

"Your memory is terrible you know that?" Wanda said exasperated. "Trust me Pietro, I remember everything."

"Yeah Pietro," Lance snickered. "Are you doubting your sister's word?" 

"Look can we get back to the subject please?" Pietro snapped. "The point is that we need to have a plan to get us noticed! Starting tonight the Brotherhood goes on the offensive! Now come on and help me think of something we can do!" 

"Like what?" Lance asked. 

"That's why I called the meeting!" Pietro shouted. "Man you people are so slow!" 

"Hey what do you expect?" Lance snapped. 

"Not much," Pietro finished. "Now we need to think of some ideas to show the world that mutants will not be trifled with! Any ideas?" 

"What do you want us to do?" Lance asked. "Go to the school and paint Mutants Rule all over it?"

"Well it's a start," Pietro sniffed. "We'll leave that one on the table. Wanda, any ideas?"

"Well yes but none of them have anything to do with what you're talking about," Wanda grinned. "Let's just say you figure prominently in them."

"You know what I think?" Fred asked. "I think we should concentrate on this huge blue area here. That seems to be the easiest part of the puzzle." 

"Nah what we really should do is concentrate on finishing the boarder and then work up," Todd told him.

"Oh for crying out loud! Forget the stupid puzzle!" Pietro snapped. "I'll do the stupid puzzle! It would take you forever to do it Blob!" 

"Hey!" Fred pouted as Pietro started to work on the puzzle. "It's my puzzle! Toad and I were working on it!" 

"Oh let him have his puzzle Pietro!" Wanda groaned. "It's not like those two would contribute any ideas anyway!"

"And this goes here!" Pietro worked on the puzzle. "And this goes here. Wait a minute or does that go there? Maybe it goes here?"

"Well he's occupied for the next hour," Wanda grumbled. "So much for keeping focused." 

"Yeah I would have liked to have done something tonight," Todd said. 

"Why don't we just do what we always do and go torture Principal Kelly?" Lance got up. 

"Fine with me," Todd nodded as he got up.

"I'm in," Fred nodded.

"Why not?" Wanda shrugged. "It's something to do and it gets me out of the house." 

"Pietro you wanna come?" Lance asked as he got his keys.

"WHERE THE HECK DOES THE STUPID YELLOW PIECE GO?" Pietro screamed. "THERE IS NO YELLOW IN THIS PUZZLE! WHERE DID THEY GET THIS?" 

"I'll take that as a no," Lance sighed as he and the others went out the door.

************************************************************************

After a fun night of draping Kelly's house with toilet paper, filling up his mailbox with shaving cream, and doing a lot of damage the Brotherhood returned home and went to bed. The next morning Todd and Lance got up at around the same time and went downstairs for breakfast. "You know I hate to admit it but for once Pietro had a good idea," Lance said. "For the first time in a long while I feel good about getting up in the morning. Like I've actually accomplished something." 

"Ahh!" Todd smiled as he hopped down. "Nothing like a good night's fun of TP'n Kelly's house and sliming his car while he sleeps to make you feel good in the morning!" 

"That and the fact you stole some flowers from his garden to give to Wanda," Lance said. 

"Hey at least she didn't zap me into the rosebush this time," Todd told him. He then looked at the sight before him. "What in the world?"

Pietro sat up glaring at them. His hair was a mess, he had a wild look in his eyes and the puzzle was still unfinished. "Do you two have to be so happy?" He growled. 

"What are you doing yo?" Todd scratched his head. 

"I'm currently directing the latest James Bond picture," Pietro said sarcastically. "Take a look around you Frog Breath! I'm sitting at a table with puzzle pieces all around me! What else would I be doing all night?" 

"You mean you…the fastest guy on earth has been working on that puzzle all night?" Lance asked. "And it's still not finished?" 

"Don't…say anything!" Pietro glared at him with bloodshot eyes. "Not one little word. Got it?" 

"And you call me slow," Fred snickered as he came out of the kitchen.

"I am not slow," Pietro glared at him. "The pieces of the puzzle are obviously not cut right."

"Oh yeah blame the puzzle," Fred rolled his eyes. "Maybe if you tried putting those pieces there…"

"DON'T TOUCH!" Pietro slapped his hand. "YOU'LL MESS IT UP! MINE!" 

"Geeze calm down!" Fred backed away. 

"My puzzle," Pietro hovered over it. "My puzzle. Mine!" 

"I think our fearless leader has finally gone around the bend," Todd said.

**_"Finally?" _**Lance asked. "Where have you been?" 

"This is a challenge," Pietro spoke with a wild look in his eyes. "I can do this. If I solve this puzzle it will prove that I have the leadership skills needed in Magneto's army! I can do this!" With a scream he started to put the puzzle together even more rapidly. 

"Yeah that's what Magneto is looking for," Lance folded his arms. "Somebody who can put pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. That will really help in his plan for world domination and mutant rights." 

"It's official," Todd shook his head. "He's lost it."

"He never had it," Lance said. "I'm gonna go work on my jeep some more." He walked off. 

"And here we go," Todd said as they watched. "Day Two of the Egomaniac Puzzle Challenge." 

"AH HA!" Pietro shouted. "NOW I'VE GOT IT! THE PIECES ARE ALL FALLING INTO PLACE NOW!" 

"Which is good because he's falling apart," Todd quipped. 

"I DID IT!" Pietro danced around. "I DID IT! I SOLVED THE PUZZLE! I SOLVED THE PUZZLE! ALL I NEED IS TO PUT THE LAST PIECE IN…" He looked around. "WHERE IS IT? WHERE DID IT GO?" He started zipping around the room frantically. "NO! NO! I COULDN'T HAVE LOST IT! I COULDN'T HAVE! WHERE IS IT? WHERE? NOT NOW! NOT NOW!" 

"You have it don't you?" Todd quietly asked Fred.

"Maybe," Fred grinned. 

"You think we should tell Quickie you got it?" Todd asked.

"GOD WHY OH WHY ARE YOU TORTURING ME LIKE THIS? ISN'T IT BAD ENOUGH THAT I HAVE TO LIVE HERE? WHY? WHY? WHY?" Pietro repeatedly banged his head on the table. 

"Not just yet," Fred smiled. "Maybe in a day or so, until he completely snaps." 

"Good plan," Todd nodded as they went into the kitchen for a snack. 


End file.
